-
Revolving Beast
The Revolving Beast comes from Celtic myth and is specifically from a poem recounting the voyage of Mael Duin. The voyaging ship he is on gets to an island with a stone fence around it. As soon as the crew got on the island, a massive creature started running around and then charged at Mael Duin with surprising speed. It resembles a mammal in many depictions but is actually thought to be representative of reptilian life. It has the ability to change form but doesn’t really classify as a shapeshifter. Instead of turning into something else, its bones move beneath the skin, which would either remain still or revolve like…
-
Revenant
The Revenant is a form of undead creature and at one time it was used as a synonym for “ghost.” Their name is a variation of the French “revenir” meaning “to return.” They return from the grave and can be physical or incorporeal. In Irish folklore, they are physically risen bodies that sometimes attend their own funerals. Other times they are undead, with some being vampiric in nature. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017. Guiley, Rosemary. The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits. United States, Checkmark Books, 2007.
-
Rawhead/Tommy Rawhead/Bloody Bones
The Rawhead is a creature known from British and US folklore, commonly the American Midwest. Stories of this creature are thought to have originated in Britain or Celtic myth. It’s used as a bogeyman figure, and often seen as a companion to Bloody-Bones with them sometimes being seen as two parts of the same entity. One is a headless skeleton that dances, and the other is a skull that bites people. It’s described as very ugly with blood constantly pouring from the mouth. Sometimes it’s described as a tall figure in a black cloak. In the Pacific Northwest it sometimes appears as a cloud of green fog. It is thought to…
-
Rattlerrabbit
The Rattlerrabbit is a creature from the Mimbre Valley of the American Southwest. It’s thought to have lived there 1000 years ago, and it’s now presumed to be extinct. It has the “scientific name” Lepus casteneta. It has the body of a rabbit all the way down to the waist and a big rattlesnake tail. It is very obscure and is only known through Native American pottery. Citations: Wyman, Walker Demarquis. Mythical Creatures of the U.S.A. and Canada. United States, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Press, 1978.=
-
Ramanga
The Ramanga comes from the Betsileo people of Madagascar. Their name translates to “blue blood.” They are referred to as ceremonial vampires, meaning the name describes an occupation rather than a species. They eat the nail clippings and drink the blood and spit of nobles. This was done as a precaution to prevent these biological materials from being used by a witch to create some kind of fetish, meaning a magical item. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017. Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.…
-
Raiju
The Raiju is a Japanese Yokai. They are the companions of the god Raijin. Its name means “thunder animal” or “thunder beast.” This creature of lightning resembles a cat, badger, ball of fire, ball of lightning, monkey, raccoon, dog, weasel, white and blue wolf, or wolf made of lightning with a cry like thunder. They attack only during thunderstorms and are otherwise harmless. They may fall asleep in a person’s belly button, which kills the person when the god Raiden throws lightning bolts to wake the Raiju up. They become agitated in storms and jump from tree to tree. Lightning strikes on trees or houses are said to be Raiju claw…
-
Radiant Boys
The Radiant Boys are from Europe and Great Britain specifically and are the ghosts of children murdered by their mothers. They glow like phosphorus. They chase people for miles and lure them into bogs. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
-
Qutrub
The Qutrub is a Ghoul-like creature from Pre-Islamic beliefs. It was later identified as a form of djinn, and often considered the male counterpart to the Ghul. Sometimes they are described as being similar to a werewolf. They are born from eggs, and are thought to be the children of Iblis and a wife made for him from the fire of Samūn. They are known to wander graveyards and consume corpses. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2013. Fee, Christopher R.. Mythology in the Middle Ages: Heroic Tales of Monsters, Magic, and Might. United States, Praeger, 2011. Hughes, Thomas Patrick.…
You May Also Like
Mugharribun
-
Qupqugiaq/Kokogiak
The Qupqugiaq is a creature from the myths of the Inupait Inuit people. They are described as resembling large polar bears with ten legs, sometimes the size of a whale. They’re thought to hunt and kill like a regular polar bear, and walk with their feet in unison so their tracks resemble those of a typical polar bear. Catching a Qupgugiaq was often seen as good luck. They are often seen as spirit animal helpers, typically only serving shamans who ride on their backs. Some believe normal polar bears turn into Qupqugiaq when they become the spirit animals to shamans. Citations: Iñupiatun Uqaluit Taniktun Sivuninit/Iñupiaq to English Dictionary. United States,…
-
Quinotaur
The Quinotaur is a creature from French myth. Its name means “bull with five horns.” It is described as part bull, part dragon, and part fish, and possesses intelligence. Supposedly it originated from the Merovingian bloodline and was thought to be the father to King Merovee, having possibly raped his mother when she went to swim in the sea. In some versions, she was already pregnant and the Quinotaur’s DNA fused with the unborn baby, giving it magic powers. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Fanthorpe, Patricia. The Big Book of Mysteries. United States, Dundurn Press, 2010.
